


The Heat of the Hearth

by Lethargic_Pink



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Fluff, Good Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Good Parents Sabine Cheng & Tom Dupain, I Didn't Know That Was a Tag, I mean, Pre-Slash Gabenath, Yes., its christmas - Freeform, pjs really, pure fluff, self indulgent much?, what do you expect?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27909289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lethargic_Pink/pseuds/Lethargic_Pink
Summary: There’s a room, deep within the twisting halls of the large manor, a room Adrien finds himself both forgetting and daydreaming of often.His father no longer allows for its use, an act born from sorrow and the simple desire to shut it all away, but he lets Adrien use it on two days out of the entire year, just two days.It’s the opposite of the cold elegant marble of the rest of the manor. It’s somewhat small at least in comparison to the rest of the house, one of the few places that isn’t so open, and it’s homely.It carries memories of laughter, tea times and story telling.Those two days he’s allowed in are coming soon.Adrien has invited the Dupain-Chengs over to share his Christmas with them.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain
Comments: 12
Kudos: 67
Collections: December 2020 - Advent Calendar





	The Heat of the Hearth

**Author's Note:**

> This is really late in the day, I know, but at least it's still Dec 5! At least where I am...  
> I hope you all enjoy this, I was rushing to get it done so hopefully it's up to par, but that means it is unbeta'd and likely will have many a mistake. Nonetheless, I hope you like it! It really helped get me into the Christmas spirit.

There’s a room, deep within the twisting halls of the large manor, a room Adrien finds himself both forgetting and daydreaming of often. 

His father no longer allows for its use, an act born from sorrow and the simple desire to shut it all away, but he lets Adrien use it on two days out of the entire year, just two days.

It’s the opposite of the cold elegant marble of the rest of the manor. It’s somewhat small at least in comparison to the rest of the house, one of the few places that isn’t so open, and it’s homely.

It carries memories of laughter, tea times and story telling.

Those two days he’s allowed in are coming soon.

<◉>

Marinette has always wanted a fireplace. 

It’s part of that picturesque dream that comes every year with the snow laden winds of winter, that time of year when all you want to do is curl up somewhere warm and comfy. 

From youth, and perhaps this dream was made from watching too many cheesy Christmas movies, but she’s always wanted to be surrounded by merry decorations and a jolly evergreen conifer, branches happily drooping with cheery and bright decorations, the star of the room beside the hearth adorned with stockings and full of firewood that she’s sitting close to, wrapped tightly in a soft blanket, hot coco in hand, carols playing softly in the background, perhaps even from a record player placed in a corner near the door. 

And sometimes, she’s not alone in the daydream. 

Sometimes, her parents are curled up together on a couch beside her. Sometimes it’s  _ she _ who is curled up with someone, that someone constantly changing over the years.

Lately, that someone is blond, whether he be wearing a black knit sweater, a little black cat on his shoulder, or beige cashmere and a blue scarf.

She’s lucky she doesn’t have to choose.

Of course, living in a bakery, she was always close to a fire lit oven, but it didn’t have the same nuance nor was it as comfortable.

This year, she may finally be able to live out that long held dream. 

Adrien has invited her and her family to join in on his family’s traditions this year and Christmas eve is fast approaching. 

If anywhere would have the sort of fireplace she so desperately wants to cuddle in front of, then it would be the expensive Agreste Manor wouldn’t it? 

Marinette quickly stuffed down the doubt that accompanied that thought. She’s seen the manor before. It’s really rather… cold, not the place you’d expect to hold such a warm thing, but she’s never been in every room, there could yet be something hidden to delightfully surprise her. 

<◉>

Christmas Eve was finally here and Adrien was rushing to finish preparing the room. They were all practically set up already as their purpose was solely for this holiday since… since Maman left. It was just a bit dusty and not as clean as it could be, so Adrien was working hard to make sure everything was ready, even double checking that the guest rooms were prepared, the Dupain-Chengs would arrive soon.

<◉>

Marinette sniffled a little into her pink scarf, red nose buried in the soft material, hidden from the cold winds and light snowfall, as she rang the intercom on the outer wall of the Agreste Manor. Light grey clouds blanket the sky that’s slowly darkening as they get closer to four o’clock.

Soon after the security camera adjusted on the form of three bundled warmly carrying several suitcases and bags, undoubtedly containing presents and clothes, in the midst of snow, the gates began to swing open, revealing a winter wonderland.

The normally lovely courtyard had been frozen over, giving it a magical look, the barren trees dressed in icicles.

When they approached the large wooden doors of the house, wreathes sitting on each one, they swung open before anyone could properly ask for entrance. 

Adrien stood before Marinette, hand still raised to knock, brilliant smile on his lips and bright red hat draped over blond hair that reminded her more of how he looks as Chat. 

He was wearing a deep red knit turtle neck sweater that matched the hat and she found she didn’t mind the break from daydream, especially not with those creme slacks that she knew he knew he looked  _ fantastic _ in. She almost couldn’t hold back an appreciative hum when he lead them in.

The foyer wasn’t decorated all that much, but the few splashed of Christmas spirit here and there was already enough to brighten the room. 

Adrien led them up the step of stairs to the right and further into the mansion than she’d ever gone. They reached a set of doors with wreathes on them and Adrien motioned them to enter.

Marinette knew the moment she opened the door to the room she’d be sleeping in tonight that Adrien had personally helped in decorating the guest rooms her and her parents would be staying in. 

Her parents’ room had a homely feel to it, so very different from the rest of the house around them that it almost gives Marinette whiplash. It had a christmas sweater sort of theme, the type that makes you think of old Christmas movies and don’t look ugly. The comforter is a fuzzy creme thing but what spills out beneath it to brush the floor is that red Christmas sweater pattern. Reindeer stitched frozen as they leap at one another, a pine tree between each one facing another, and a snowflake separating the ones turned away. A stripe of poinsettias and another of snowflakes. There were other stipes of various patterns and smaller widths too.

The Christmas sweater pattern is brought back with the four throw pillows placed in front of two normal pillows. The front two are smaller and a light tan color with a cross stitch snowflake emblazoned in the center. Behind those two are slightly bigger pillows, more long really, that have another red Christmas sweater design depicting a small house, a poinsettia pattern lining the bottom.

Above the headboard is a wreathe, filling the room with the smell of pine.

Beneath the bed a rug stretches out to shield feet from cold wood floors. 

Near the windows is a short, decorated tree, small lights bouncing off red, green, and white ornaments. Beside the tree is a dark wood rocking chair, a creme knit blanket placed over the back and a red throw pillow resting on one of the arm rests.

On either side of the bed are two squat nightstand of the same wood and on the other side of the room across from the bed is a wardrobe that matches them. 

To the left of the bed is a door. Marinette assumes it’s a bathroom. 

Tom and Sabine walk in and take in the room before turning bright smiles to Adrien, “It’s lovely, Adrien, thank you.” A light dusting of pink spreads across his cheeks as he nods slightly, unable to look them in the eye.

Seeing her parents’ room, Marinette is now eager to see if she has the same setup, she quickly turns to her own door and opens it, extremely happy to see it a reflection of the room she’d just seen.

The only differences would be the lack of rocking chair and addition of several more blankets, thick and assuredly warm, and pillows, one of which is a large and long… cat pillow... with a red body and white stripes and accents. It looks almost exactly like the one she has at home in her bed, just different color scheme, and wrapped around its neck is a big green bow.

Marinette, having walked into the room at some point, turns excitedly to Adrien leaning against the door frame. There’s a soft smile on those soft lips bursting with love, love for  _ her _ \- heavens, she’ll never get used to that - and she finds herself as frozen as the trees outside. 

His grin grows, releasing more of the love bound within him, and gets up from where he was against the door frame and walks towards her. Once he’s standing before her, he wraps his arms around her waist and she willingly melts into him, neither breaking eye contact. 

“Thank you,” she finally stutters out on a breath, words a whisper on her lips. His smile is unwavering even as he bends forward, “You’re welcome,” and then those smiling lips are on hers. It’s short and chaste, this one, and even though its not the first time they’ve kissed, it still gives her that same thrill. She would love to continue, but they still have other things to do and she’s more than content to just stay in his arms for a little while.

After a few moments, Marinette pulls out of his arms, “I have to get unpacking.” Her voice is still quiet, trying to hold to the pleasant atmosphere. “Then I’ll leave you to it.” She misses him the moment he’s out the door. She sighs but gets to work.

Marinette and her parents wheel their suitcases and bags into their respective rooms to start unpacking for the night, discarding their coats, shoes, and gloves.

They have their toiletries and a set of outfits for tomorrow, but most of their baggage was actually presents. Presents for each other, for Adrien, for Gabriel, and for Nathalie. There were also small hidden presents in Marinette’s bag for Tikki and Plagg. Neither Marinette nor her parents brought pjs, her parents knowing full well she’d made and wrapped them as presents to open later tonight. After Marinette got better at making pjs, the tradition of unwrapping Christmas themed pjs on Christmas eve was passed onto her and Marinette was glad to take it up.

Tom and Sabine have a small betting competition on how the Agreste’s are going to react when they get their own pjs. Knowing Marinette as they do, they’re sure she has all of their measurements. How surprised will Gabriel be to receive pjs made for him?

As if knowing exactly when they’d be done, Nathalie comes for Tom and Sabine. Gabriel, though cold as he is, isn’t cruel and lets his workers go home for Christmas, thereby leaving the mansion empty for all but him, his son, and the very insistent Nathalie. Their Christmas dinners aren’t anything special without their chef, but Gabriel still knows a little on how to cook and Nathalie is quick to offer a hand with whatever his knowledge falls short on, years of helping her family making the knowledge secure in her mind and hands. 

But this year, Adrien started dating Marinette and then invited her over. When Tom and Sabine heard that they were invited over and that the Chef was on leave, they wanted to make dinner as thanks and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

So Tom and Sabine grabbed a bag of cooking items that they were familiar with, unsure if everything they needed would be here, and follow Nathalie, but not before Nathalie asks if they have any presents to place under the tree.

_ Under the tree? _ Marinette thinks,  _ They had a tree? _ She didn’t remember seeing one and usually you’d stick your tree somewhere like in the foyer. So where in the world could this tree be?

Despite her questions, she silently gathers the presents in bags for easier handling and gives them to Nathalie and Adrien, who seemed to appear out of nowhere. 

Adrien happily takes them, even Nathalie seeming to be more relaxed and joyful for such an occasion, even if you can barely tell because of her constant neutral expression. If Marinette looked closely, her eyes seemed to be the slightest bit crinkled in the corners and her lips are quirked up a hair.

When they turn away to go further into the manor, Marinette can’t help but notice the pretty little pin in Nathalie’s usually tight bun that seems a bit looser today and suddenly realizes that Nathalie isn’t wearing her usual suit jacket and her normally black heels are instead a deep red, a barely noticeable change unless you know to look. The pin in her hair is a small, silver mistletoe leaves and a little pearlescent berry. Actually, it might really be a pearl…

It’s a simple looking thing, but it looks nice on Nathalie nonetheless. It’s pleasant to see even her, the most stoic person Marinette’s ever met aside from Gabriel, be in the Christmas spirit.

Marinette returns to her room to spend some time before dinner, it’ll likely be a few hours. 

Tikki, Marinette slowly realizes, left in one of the bags she’d handed Adrien. Marinette’s sure she wanted to hang out with Plagg so she doesn’t pay it much mind, instead taking the chance to pull Tikki’s and Plagg’s gifts out and assembling their little bed, knowing they wouldn’t want to leave each other much tonight. 

<◉>

A knock at Marinette’s door pulls her attention from her phone where she had been watching the Christmas special for Astruc’s _ The Adventures of Ladybug and Chat Noir. _ She’s glad her own kitty isn’t spending his holiday all alone, she’ll make double sure that he never has to.

She slides her phone into her pocket and gets up to answer, greeted by the very boy she’d been thinking of.

“Time for dinner?” she asks, knowing the answer already.

“Time for dinner,” he nods and leads her to wherever her parents went.

They don’t enter the grand dining room she’s seen so many times, instead, she’s lead deeper and deeper into the manor until finally she’s brought to a small set of dark wood doors, pine trees carved into the wood. 

When Adrien pushes them open, Marinette is overwhelmed by what she sees. 

Beyond is a room that’s wide with space but smaller than you’d expect of a room in this place. The walls are made of light paneled wood, no, the entire  _ room _ is made of wood, the walls interrupted in only two places, one by stone and one by wrought iron. Where the walls are broken by wrought iron there lies a window currently blanketed in the white of snowfall, so thick and heavy you can hardly see a thing beyond it, aside from the glowing form of the Eiffel tower. Creme curtains frame the frosty window panes.

The floor is covered by several rugs, one beneath the table. 

The table isn’t very long, unlike the table that can be found in the dining room, in fact, its just large enough that you would be able to fit eight people if need be and like every piece of furniture seems to be tonight and the apparent theme of the room, it too is made of wood. It’s decorated with the usual feast Marinette sees every year but there’s also a white centerpiece cloth, a large candelabrum set in the center, wicks alight, encircling it a garland with poinsettias and gold ribbons.

There’s six chairs total, one for each person here, all of them high back, the backrest made of intricate swirls of wood, with rust red cushions on the seat.

To the side, and not directly in front of the entrance like the table, closest to the window, there’s a sort of living room area, red and gold sofa and armchairs piled with more throw pillows, another creme knit blanket resting over the side of the sofa set around a matching ottoman. Dark wood end tables matching the dinner table hug the sofa and offer light via lamps with creme lampshades and gold lampstands. What the sofa is facing is what draws Marinette’s attention though.

There, like in all her dreams, is a rustic stone fireplace, six stockings hanging from a wooden mantel, letters emblazoned on each of them, four of them obviously newer, but one not as new, and Marinette can tell that though whoever got them tried to get ones that matched the original two, there are subtle differences. 

Above the mantel is the head of a stag, glorious antlers stretching out to the rest of the room. 

Following the stone up to where the wall meets the ceiling, garland similar to that of the one on the dinner table centerpiece lines the entire room and in the center of the ceiling is an antler chandelier.

Beside the hearth and sofas and armchairs is a Christmas tree in the corner, branches brushing the window, with decorations that match the rest of the room, piles of familiar presents placed beneath its lowest branches, a gold and white St. Nicholas guards the top of the tree. In the opposite corner, a record player plays old christmas songs.

But even then, Marinette only has eyes for the fire blazing lazily on a stack of wood and embers.

However, no matter how much she wants to go and sit over there, she’s being lead to the beautiful dinner table and sat down beside Adrien, across from her mother and beside her father who takes up the other head of the table. On Adrien’s side is Gabriel, who has been sitting there from the moment she walked in, and across from Adrien is Nathalie. Adrien seems incredibly pleased by the set up, especially so with the way Nathalie is on Gabriel’s side like Sabine is on Tom’s. 

Sparkling apple cider is poured in pinot noir glasses and food served up on porcelain plates rimmed with gold. 

<◉>

Dinner and dessert, crème brûlée, is delicious and finally comes the time where Marinette steps in. 

She stands from her spot at the table, interrupting the conversation that was happening and causing three curious gazes to follow her to the tree, her parents merely smiling at their company. 

Marinette grabs six thin presents from beneath the tree, placed strategically near the front to easily pickup, surely her parents’ work after finishing dinner. 

She brings them back to the table. “You’ve decided to share your traditions with us so I thought we could share ours with you.” She then passes the presents out with a smile, thoroughly enjoying the surprise and bewilderment she receives from Gabriel and Nathalie. Tom and Sabine thank her kindly and Adrien, despite his confusion, gladly accepts the present with a “thank you.”

Sabine already has her phone out to record by the time Marinette asks the Agrestes to open their gifts.

Hesitantly, they begin to unwrap the pretty paper, and to call them shocked would be the understatement of the year. Adrien looks up from his and asks, clutching the pjs tightly as if afraid they’ll be taken from him, “Are- are these really for me? I can keep them?” 

Marinette smiles and says, “Of course, what would  _ I _ do with them?”

Adrien laughs and after everyone’s opened their pjs, Marinette sends them off to change into them with the promise to come back to this room. 

She won’t admit it, but she wants to just spend time in front of the fireplace, cuddled up with Adrien. But she will gladly use the excuse of “family time.”

Marinette is quick to change into her red shorts with snowmen decorating them and matching plain white t-shirt, dashing off to the kitchen as soon as she’s done, one of her extra blankets in hand. 

Not long after, she’s walking back into, what she has dubbed, the Christmas Room, fuzzy blanket over her shoulder and tray of mugs in hand. She is the last to return.

Everyone else is sitting in the living room area, Tom, Sabine, and Nathalie sharing the sofa, Gabriel at one of the armchairs, and Adrien in the other. 

Tom and Sabine take the mugs of hot chocolate with thankful smiles, already used to their daughter’s way of expressing Christmas cheer. 

Gabriel and Nathalie eye her with grateful suspicion, both still holding surprise for how well the pjs match their style and fit their size. 

When Marinette reaches Adrien, she tugs him off the armchair he’d taken up and onto the floor before the hearth, leaning against the ottoman. She wraps them both in the blanket and curls against him with her own mug in hand, Adrien happily sipping at his. He already knows how good of a cup of hot coco she can make. 

He jumps a little when he hears a soft hum of appreciation, head whipping around to spot Nathalie blushing at her own reaction as she stares down at the mug in her hands in wonder. Gabriel switches from turning her surprise to her to his own mug, and with careful uncertainty, takes a sip of the hot chocolate. 

It is automatic, his expression brightening more than Adrien has seen since Maman left and if Adrien wasn’t already awed, he definitely would be when, to his utter amazement, Gabriel begins to smile. 

It’s a Christmas miracle. It has to be. How else could this happen?

A giggle to his left draws his attention back to the girl who made it happen, the love of his life, and he realizes that everything, all of this, was able to happen because of her. In previous years, they decorated a little and cleaned up the Christmas Room, had a small dinner, and went to bed in relative silence, the atmosphere heavy, never once lighting the fireplace. But this year the air is as warm as it is where he sits before a fire and Adrien is discovering that Marinette is a fireplace, the hearth in his life. He can’t help but laugh as well, joy thrumming through his very being, tears prickling at his eyes, and his laughter grows when he sees that Sabine has taken pictures of both his guardians’ faces. 

Four years, it took four years for his family to find their hearth again, his seventeen year old heart finally finding comfort from the blizzard of a life without his mother. 

They slip so easily back into lively conversation, the most stoic in the room finding emotions practically bubbling out of them.    
It is hard to keep from being so happy when one is near the Dupain-Chengs.

After some time, mugs long empty, record finished spinning, everyone decides it is high time they get to bed. Nathalie seems a bit eager to sleep in her new pjs. 

Adrien turns to Marinette to mention that fact when he realizes that she’s asleep, leaning against his shoulder with a smile still pulling at her cheeks. 

Tom and Sabine notice this as Gabriel and Nathalie get up, they wink and he gets the feeling that they want him to carry her to her room.

Before he leaves, Gabriel turns to the rest of the room and… is that shyness on his face? He can’t seem to look at anyone properly, shoulders not as straight as they usually are. Never once has Adrien ever seen his father like this. He clears his throat and straightens a little but its still not that same tense posture as always, “Thank you for the lovely evening, merry Christmas, and… goodnight.” He turns and it seems as if he can’t help but rush out no matter how much he fights it.  _ Maybe, maybe he can let her go, _ he thinks as he  _ runs _ once he’s out of view,  _ maybe, with how Adrien moved on and how happy he’s become, he too can continue. _ He hears a bright laugh behind him and his heart  _ leaps. _

A moment passes, and suddenly there’s the most beautiful laughter filling the room and it’s coming from Nathalie. Perhaps Adrien has died and gone to heaven or he’s dreaming. He’s definitely gotta be dreaming. 

She wipes tears from her eyes and sighs at the feeling of having such a good laugh. “I love that man.” It’s quiet, but Adrien can still hear it and his heart  _ soars. _ He never hears the  _ “far more than I ever thought,” _ for she never says it. She thought she loved him most when he was driven to bring back his wife, but she’s found tonight that she loves the man who felt more than just the desire to bring back what he once had. She wishes to be able to be the one to make him so expressive. Hopefully she’ll get the chance. 

“Thank you,” Nathalie says, looking to Tom and Sabine. They smile and say “You’re welcome, though I think you should probably say that to  _ her _ in the morning. It’s her who made this all possible after all.” She motions to where Marinette and Adrien are still sitting.

Nathalie smiles and Adrien wishes he could take a picture, he’s glad to see Sabine’s sneaky hands pull out her phone. “Yes, I suppose I should.” She bows a little, and then leaves for her room, practically skipping the entire way. 

Tom and Sabine wish Adrien a goodnight and then leave with the tray of mugs. 

Adrien enjoys the heat of the fire for a bit longer before carefully getting up to put it out. When he’s sure the embers are gone, he leans down and carefully picks her up bridal style and heads to her room, flicking the chandelier lights off and shutting the door behind him.

When he gets to her room, he passes a sleeping Tikki and Plagg in their bed, surrounded in the remnants of their own little feast of sugary and cheesy delights. He pulls most the throws off the bed, planning to place them in the corner once he’s set Marinette down and tucked her in. 

That plan is quickly derailed when sleepily, Marinette wakes up a little after being placed all alone in the bed, hand snagging the hem of the black t-shirt of his pjs, catching some of his red and black buffalo plaid pants as he’s turning away to put the pillows in the corner. 

He looks down at sleepy eyes, and Marinette tugs, somewhat more insistent, other hand patting the space beneath the blankets beside her.

“You… want me to sleep with you?”   
A smile lightens her face and she hums an affirmative, “‘S cold,” she says in way of explanation. 

With a sigh at the inability to put away the pillows, he shakes his head. He’s already in his pjs, so it should be fine, and she’s asking.

He crawls into the blankets with her and she snuggles close, making his heart warm.

Adrien smiles as he begins to fall asleep as well, placing a kiss to her forehead.

“Merry Christmas, Marinette.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading!  
> Comments and feedback are loved!
> 
> Please check out the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks), because this was made for their Advent calendar, day five, **Fireplace**.


End file.
